Shoal Lake is a lake

Lake

A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...

 in extreme west of Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, northwest of Lake of the Woods

Lake of the Woods

Lake of the Woods is a lake occupying parts of the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba and the U.S. state of Minnesota. It separates a small land area of Minnesota from the rest of the United States. The Northwest Angle and the town of Angle Township can only be reached from the rest of...

. Depending on the water level of Lake of the Woods, Shoal Lake runs both into and out of Lake of the Woods and, for many practical purposes, is part of that lake.

Overview

It is a body of water that is not completely charted, and caution must be taken when navigating this body of water. Smallmouth bass

Smallmouth bass

The smallmouth bass is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of the order Perciformes. It is the type species of its genus...

, northern pike

Northern Pike

The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...

 and walleye

Walleye

Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...

 are its primary species of fish. At one time, it was a commercial fishery for walleye, but this was closed due to over fishing.

There are a number of private cabins in this area, and several commercial fishing lodges and resorts which offer housekeeping cabins and American plan packages for American and Canadian Tourists. Shoal Lake is also home to Manitoba Pioneer Camp

Manitoba Pioneer Camp

Manitoba Pioneer Camp is a children’s summer camp, one of several Pioneer Camps owned and operated by Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada. It operates on two islands on Shoal Lake, near Lake of the Woods...

.

Two First Nations

First Nations

First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...

 reservations lay claim to much of Shoal Lake. They are bands #39

Iskatewizaagegan 39 Independent First Nation

Shoal Lake 39 First Nation is an Ojibwa or Anishinaabe First Nation, located along the northwestern shores of Shoal Lake, Ontario. It is officially known as Iskatewizaagegan #39 Independent First Nation. The total registered population of this First Nation is 585, of which 297 live on its own...

 and #40

Shoal Lake 40 First Nation

Shoal Lake 40 First Nation is an Ojibwa or Ontario Saulteaux First Nation located in the Eastman Region of Manitoba and the Kenora District of Ontario. The total registered population in August 2011 was 568, of which the on-reserve population was 266...

.

The Lake has a history of gold mining

Gold mining

Gold mining is the removal of gold from the ground. There are several techniques and processes by which gold may be extracted from the earth.-History:...

 and as gold prices rise so does the pressure to explore mining on the lake again. This pressure is being fought by local cottagers and the City of Winnipeg

Winnipeg

Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...

 who have used the lake as its main source of safe drinking water for almost 100 years. Shoal Lake falls under special and specific developmental guidelines in order to protect its water quality and unique wildlife.

The City of Winnipeg operates the Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway

Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway

The Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway is a 102-mile long industrial railway from Winnipeg, Manitoba to Shoal Lake near Manitoba's eastern boundary - in Canada. The railway was built to assist in the construction and maintenance of an aqueduct supplying fresh water to Winnipeg...

 between Shoal Lake and the City of Winnipeg. The railway provides access by maintenance staff to the aqueduct

Aqueduct

An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....

that is used to supply Winnipeg.